lii INTRODUCTION. 



January 1801 ; but in the course of a month his complaint 

 of the Hver returned, and his health suffered so many severe 

 shocks that he was reduced to a skeleton, and obliged to 

 make his way back to India, Avhere the physician of the 

 fleet advised him to return home, as the only means of his 

 accomplishing his recovery ; and the Admiral entrusted 

 him with his dispatches. 



His native climate had the desired effect ; and imme- 

 diately on the re-establishment of his health he applied to 

 the Admiralty for active employment; accordingly in 1802 

 he was appointed First Lieutenant of His Majesty's ship 

 Calcutta, in which situation he served during the whole of 

 her long and arduous vo3^age, the object of which was to 

 form a new establishment in New South Wales. Here Lieut. 

 Tuckey had an opportunity of rendering very essential 

 service, which was strongly acknowledged by the Lieu- 

 tenant Governor, Colonel Collins, who transmitted to the 

 First Lord of the Admiralty a most flattering testimon}' of 

 his merits; and in particular for a complete survey he had 

 made of the harbour of Port Phihp, and for his examination 

 of the adjacent coast and surrounding countr3^ He was also 

 furnished by the Lieutenant Governor with letters of recom- 

 mendation to Sir Joseph Banks. He reached England in 

 1804, and published an account of the voyage. 



But the favourable testimonies he had received were 

 rendered abortive by the capture of the Calcutta in 1805, 

 on her homeward voyage from St. Helena (whither she had 

 been sent to bring home some ships under her convoy) 

 and by an imprisonment of nearly nine years in France. 

 For the preservation of a valuable convoy entrusted to his 

 charge, Captain Woodriff, with a conduct which, as truly 



